Puzzle box



8 April 1, 1924. 1,488,820

A. D. KIMBALL v PUZZLE BOX Filed April 1, 1,922

Patented Apr. 1,

PUZZLE BOX.

Application filed April 1,

To (zZZ whom may concern:

Be known that T, ARDEN D. KIMBALL, citizen of the United States, residing at Sab'ula, in the county of Jackson and State of Towa, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Puzzle Bones, of which the tlollowing is a' specification.

lvly invention relates to puzzles in the form of a box provided with a lid, and the manner of locking and unlocking the latter.

One object oi: the invention is to provide the box with a plurality of keys or, knobs, all alike and permanently retained therein, only one of the knobs. however, being able to release the look, while the others are dummies intended to detract attention from the principal. knob. This particular knob, which I will call the actuating knob, is located adjacent the latch bolt of the box and adapted to engage the same to prevent it from sliding back or unlocking. After turning the actuating knob to release the bolt, the latter is still retained in locked position by a spring and in order to retract the bolt, it will then be necessary to deliver a blow against the box to overcome the action of the spring.

In the accompanying drawing, one embodiment of the invention is illustrated, and:

Figure 1 shows the puzzle box in perspective view,

Figure 2 is a horizontal. sectional View or the same,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the lock containing a portion or the box,

Figure at is a perspective view of the actuating knob,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the lock, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the details of the lock. 1

The reference numeral 10 denotes the puzale box in general. The box has a rear wall 11, front wall 12 and end walls 13 and 14': respectively. To the rear wall 11 the lid 15 is hinged, as at 16, and the rear wall 11 and end wall 13 are each provided with a knob 17 and 18 respectively, which'are adapted to be turned in openings formed in these walls. The front wall 12 is provided with a similar knob 19. All three knobs are of exactly the same exterior apieea. Serial he. seems.

pearance and, preferably, are ornamented so as to distinguish between the top and sides of. the same. The knob 19, however, which is the actuating knob, has a cylindrical shank 20 provided with a slot or recess 21, the use of which will be described further on. Each knob is secured in position in its respective wall by means of apin 22 preventing the withdrawal of the knobs. I

In t is upper edge of the front wall 12 IlSTOlIIlQCl a longitudinal recess 23 which constitutes a chamber, in which a sliding bolt 24; is mounted. This bolt is preferably of square or rectangular cross section with a cylindrical rear shank 25 joining the body of the bolt at a square shoulder 26 formed thereon. Another shoulder on the forward end of the bolt 2 1- is formed at 27, the forward end of the bolt having a sharp nose 28 with a dovetail cut indicated at 29. A. stop 30 for the shoulder 27 is secured in the front wall 12 and this stop crosses the forward end of the chamber 23 and limits the forward movement of the bolt 24. At the: rear end of the chamber, a helical spring 31 is housed engaging around the cylindrical shank 25 of the bolt and tending to press the bolt 24 forward; that is to say, in the left hand direction of the figures.

In the lid 15 is rigidly secured a stud 32, pointing downward and adapted to enter the chamber 23 when the lid is closed and to stand in the path of the sliding bolt 24. This stud has a slot 33 adapted to be engaged by the sharp nose 28 of the sliding bolt 24 when the lid is closed, and the side wings of the dove tail 29 are intended to partly embrace the sides of the stud 32 in order to give it a good grip thereon.

An opening 3 1 is provided in the cover plate 35 secured over the chamber 23 by means of screws 36, or in any other suitable manner, to retain the sliding bolt 2 1 and spring 31 in the chamber. Beneath this chamber the actuating knob 19 is seated in such a manner that the slot 21 presents its fiat bottom against the under side of the bolt 2% with the actuating knob 19 in released position, as best seen in Figure 6, but when the knob is turned about ninety degrees, the fiat bottom of its recess 21 engages with the rear shoulder 26 on the slid ing bolt 24: so as to rigidly hold it in locked position as seen in Figure 5.

In order to open the box, the following procedure will be necessary: Assuming the box to be looked, as seen in Figure 5, the actuating knob 19 must then first be turned about ninety degrees, so as to stand with the flat bottom of its slot parallel with the edge of the front wall 12 of the box, as indicated in Figure 6. The sliding bolt 24 is now free to run back in the right hand direction of Figure 5, but is still held in engagement with the stud 32 by means of its spring 31. The strength of this spring is, however, selected so that a slight blow on the end wall 14; will cause the inertiaof the sliding bolt 24: to slide the bolt in right hand direction and disengage the stud 32, when the lid will fly open, as the hinges 16 should be so positioned, that the lid tends to open slightly when unlockedv In order to close the box all that is needed, is to press the lid tightly down upon the walls and at the same time turn the actuating knob 19 into locking position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In combination with a box having a hinged lid for closing the same, the wall of said box opposite to the one to which said lid is hinged having a recess, a slidablc bolt in said recess mounted with its axis parallel to the edge of said wall, a notched stud secured-in the lid and adapted to enter said recess when the lid is closed,

said bolt having a nose adapted to engage with said'notch, a spring urging the bolt into such engagement, said bolt having a shoulder, a revoluble knob mounted exteriorly to said bolt in said recessed wall and having an abutment adapted to engage with said shoulder when the bolt is in engaged position, and other revoluble knobs around the box of similar exterior appearance as said first knob, but constituting dummies, all of said knobs having permanent positions on the box.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ARDEN n. KIMBALL. [n 8.] 

